


Bet on It

by AmazingTomHollandisnotonfire



Category: High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (TV)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Anxiety, Carlos Rodriguez Needs a Hug, Hurt!Carlos, M/M, Protective!Seb, Takes place in Season Two, author was emoting and went too far, bad cast!everyone, bad teacher!miss jenn, carlos rodriguez is the choreographer and no one appreicates that, justice for the forest of boys, so seb has to take care of him
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-10
Updated: 2020-05-10
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:47:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24083833
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmazingTomHollandisnotonfire/pseuds/AmazingTomHollandisnotonfire
Summary: "everybody's always talkin' at me, I need to count on myself instead""I'm not gonna stop, not gonna stop til I get my shot. That's who I am that is my plan."orCarlos always wanted to be accepted by a group, so he puts up with whatever the cast or Miss Jenn throws his way. Seb finally defends his boyfriend.
Relationships: Seb Matthew-Smith/Carlos Rodriguez
Comments: 17
Kudos: 56





	Bet on It

**Author's Note:**

  * For [blovesmusicals](https://archiveofourown.org/users/blovesmusicals/gifts).



> i got this idea from the best and sweetest high school musical: the musical: the series theorist on stan twitter. bri, thank you for letting me steal your idea, this is for you <3

Carlos Rodriguez always wanted to be accepted.

He remembered when he was in kindergarten: his hair was long and curly, his glasses were slightly too big, and his voice was even higher than it was when he got older. He, according to this mother, was the happiest child in the world. But, that also meant he was naïve. When he would look around the classroom and see the groups of children playing, the boys building towers of blocks and the girls coloring perfectly inside the lines, Carlos would want to join. But each time he would ask, the groups would say no. There was only one time when someone said yes, but she left him as soon as she joined him for a group with better toys than his own. Carlos never knew why no one wanted to play with him, maybe it was because he was loud, energetic, overly friendly, but no one would ever tell him why. However, he never complained, never questioned anyone, never begged. Instead, he sat by himself and flipped through the pictures in the most colorful books on the shelf. He didn't want to make anyone uncomfortable or hate him more. He thought that maybe if he didn't push, they would come to like him more. Because Carlos Rodriguez liked to please people. 

After his first day of kindergarten, Carlos asked his mom to sign him up for dance lessons. The girls in the books he read alone during recess looked so elegant, but they also always danced in a group. Carlos never told his mom he wanted to dance to make friends, but he always hoped that would be the outcome. 

-

When Carlos was in fourth grade he thought he was becoming very good at dancing. He was taking classes at the local studio, he was always center stage at the recitals, and he was even able to teach himself the choreography from his favorite movie _High School Musical_. In fact, Carlos believed he was good enough to tell people about his new hobby so that maybe, they would be happy with his skills and invite him to play. So when recess came around, Carlos began his usual routine of circling the playground and asking each group of students if he could play with them. When the first group said no, Carlos knew this was his opportunity. 

"But I'm a dancer." Carlos beamed, demonstrating a graceful plie. But instead of inviting him to play as Carlos thought, the boys started laughing at him while pointing at his perfected first position.

"Go be a girl somewhere else!" The lead boy yelled, causing many of the other groups to turn around and laugh with them. Carlos immediately stood up straight and took a step back. With each step he took another group would shout "Not over here" or "We don't play with girly girls" or "Our group is full". Carlos felt the tears forming in his eyes and took off running towards his classroom, thankful that the teacher had left it open. He fell into his desk and let the tears fall quietly so that no one lingering in the hallway could hear him. Because he didn't understand: he asked nicely, he did what the girls in the stories did, so what was he doing wrong? Or rather, what was wrong with _him._

As Carlos grew up he began to understand how naïve his thoughts once were. Clearly, it didn't matter how good of a dancer he became or how subordinate he acted, he would never be able to please people enough for them to accept him. 

\- 

When Carlos was in eighth grade, he was forced to take a theatre class. Carlos had heard of theatre, of course, that was a major plot point in _High School Musical,_ but he never thought to try it himself. What Carlos learned from that class, however, was that he loved theatre. He loved the dramatic enthusiasm that came with his teacher, he loved the music they were forced to learn, and he loved the way the hot spotlight felt on his face. Of course, the spotlight was only on him when he was alone and practicing his dances during his free period, but he loved it nonetheless. When Carlos learned that East High School, the school he would be attending as a freshman in the fall, had several opportunities for him to explore his new love of theatre and his talents as a dancer, he worked extra hard in his lessons to make sure he was the best of the best. Because if these things weren't required at East High, then maybe there were students who loved dance and theatre as much as he did? Maybe some students would see him being a dancer as a good thing. Maybe he would be able to use his talents to get people to accept him.

-

When Carlos was a freshman, he immediately tried out for the color guard: a sport for dancers. This is one of the opportunities he had been training all summer for, and he let it show in his tryout. The coaches offered him a position on the spot, and Carlos could feel deep down that this was his group. Because for organizations like color guard to run, they needed other people. And for a while, those people loved him, because he made them look good. He was talented, bright, and was friendly towards his teammates. But unfortunately for Carlos, those other people wanted nothing to do with him after some time. They came to despise him for his overenthusiastic attitude and the untamed passion he brought to the group. He rivaled every single one of them, and by being the best, he drove them all away. They wouldn't wave to him in the hallway or sit next to him in lunch anymore. Instead, in his place he saw the newest member of the group: someone who's talents were average and who's attitude was lowkey and almost silent. Just like the girl from kindergarten, they moved on to someone _better._

Theatre, he quickly learned, was the same way. The drama department at East High School was competitive, cut-throat, and brutal. Roles and positions were given out based on age and how much the director liked you. The short, gray-haired woman they called a teacher, Mrs. Mullens, was cruel and thrived on making her students feel poorly about themselves. Carlos learned this the hard way.

When Mrs. Mullens was trying to teach them a group number, Carlos couldn't help but internally criticize the old-fashioned dance steps and the harshness of her voice. Carlos could see by the looks on his classmates' faces that they also didn’t like their teacher or the way she was showing the steps, so when the boring, easy number was done, Carlos, a dancer at heart, raised his hand and began offering suggestions on how to make the dance more lively. He demonstrated his ideas for the cast, gaining several whistles and astonishing remarks in return. Carlos didn't miss the look of amazement from a blonde boy in a red flannel and brown boots he recognized from homeroom, and mid-pirouette, Carlos felt the blush rising to his cheeks. But when he was finished, he looked to his teacher for the approval he immediately knew he wasn't going to get.

"Mr. Rodriguez, I guarantee you that I don't need a know-it-all choreographer in my group. Now I suggest you follow my instructions or leave." Flashbacks to fourth-grade flooded his memory, and suddenly the silent cast in front of him was laughing, taunting him for his lack of talent and yelling at him for ruining the rehearsal. Carlos knew deep down that it was only his mind trying to hurt him because when he blinked, the students were still staring in silence, but their actions spoke louder than any words could have. 

After freshman year, Carlos stopped believing in his ability to please people, or his ability to make friends. So he no longer tried to impress people, he decided he was going to do things for himself. Over the summer he bought a wardrobe that expressed his growing and very bold personality and built a wall around his severed heart, one that he swore he would never allow to be knocked down.

That was when things started to go right.

Two weeks before his sophomore year began, Carlos received an email explaining how Mrs. Mullens retired and a new teacher, someone named Miss Jenn, would be taking her place. Carlos' eyes traveled to the email address at the bottom and more than anything he wanted to reach out and talk to her about the fall musical and the possibility of helping her with the choreography. He didn't want another year of Brigadoon-type dances, and he knew he could do something incredible for the show. But Carlos knew better now, so instead, he closed the computer and walked away, blinking away the tears that threatened to form. Not hours later did he receive an email from the new drama teacher, practically begging him to take on the role of "Student Choreographer" for the fall show. Carlos almost couldn't believe what he was reading. Because not only was he being offered a place in the group, he was _wanted_ in the group because she was impressed with his skills. Instead of Carlos Rodriguez: dancer that no one wanted, he was going to be Carlos Rodriguez: Student Choreographer of the theatre kids. For the next two weeks, Carlos worked tirelessly, creating choreography that he hoped would make Miss Jenn and the cast of _High School Musical: The Musical_ proud.

Carlos would once again come to regret his naïve thinking.

The first incident was when he attempted to teach the group the curtain call number. This was a dance he had worked very hard on and was very excited to show the cast, and sure, he felt weird bossing seniors and juniors around, but the cast seemed pretty professional so he wasn’t too worried.

However, his issues began when Ricky Bowen questioned each of his decisions and explanations. Carlos tried not to get frustrated, because at least Ricky was asking him about choreography, even if every response was sarcastic. But he could see the rest of the cast staring down their exchange, and Carlos was beginning to get anxious. His worries spiked when Nini-Salazar Roberts asked him to wait for Miss Jenn and he went still because that's when he realized that no one here was taking him seriously or listening to what he was saying. But in true Carlos fashion, he put a smile on his face and taught them the number anyway - or tried his best to at least.

Before he knew it the two leads were fighting, he was calling a five, and practically begging them to practice the dip. Seconds later Ricky was running out, Nini was turning away, and Miss Jenn was walking in talking about some prop that he already didn't care about. Miss Jenn, instead of asking why Carlos was breathing heavily or looked close to tears, ordered him outside to fetch their Troy. Or rather, _her_ Troy. Because this wasn't Carlos' show, even if he wanted it to be.

After an attempt and fail to get the juniors back, Carlos walked back into the building with his eyes to the floor and finger twitching at his upper thigh. Too embarrassed to return to the bomb shelter without the two skaters, Carlos wandered the hallway and cautiously monitored the tears forming in his eyes. He refused to cry, the new Carlos would not cry like some child. A _child_ that no one wanted because he _was_ wanted - or at least that's what he was being told for now. Because if he didn't get it together he was going to lose this position he's wanted for so long. And he _couldn't._ So with that thought, Carlos wiped his eyes one last time and entered the silent bomb shelter. Miss Jenn gave him a disappointed look at the lack of Ricky but Carlos tried not to focus on that. Instead, when the cast came back, he pulled Sharpay and Ryan aside and started teaching them some basics for Bop to the Top. They listened to him thankfully, and secretly Carlos hoped the rest of the cast was watching. Because then maybe everyone would start taking him seriously.

-

When homecoming came around, somehow Carlos got the courage to ask Seb Matthew-Smith. Seb, the amazed boy from the year before, was quiet, quirky, and overall the sweetest person he's ever met. They instantly became very close friends through their weekly independent sessions so Seb could perfect his dances as Sharpay Evans. During one of those sessions, Carlos asked if the boy wanted to dance with him at homecoming that evening. To Carlos' surprise, since he was so used to being shot down in reference to dancing, Seb said yes. Carlos spent hours after school getting ready, picking out a new pair of glasses, styling his hair differently, and topping it off with a suit he'd never had the opportunity to wear.

Waiting for Seb to show up was agony, but seeing him on the dancefloor made the night of insecurities and crippling anxiety worth it. They swayed back and forth in the middle of the gym, one of Seb's hands on his back and the other gripping his own, and Carlos felt, for the first time, what it was like to be a part of something. Like someone was _accepting_ him. He'd wanted a dance partner since he was five years old, and he knew from the first step that Seb Matthew-Smith was going to be the one who gave him everything he ever wanted.

-

When Miss Jenn got fired, Carlos was handed the burden of the fall musical; he was told to keep the train on the tracks and to maintain morale. Carlos didn't want to disappoint, so he went to rehearsal like nothing was wrong but like the failure he was, he couldn't keep up the act.

He tried to pitch a concept he had for the show: recreate the scene in "When There Was Me And You" where Gabriella wanders around the banner of basketball players and turn it into what he liked to call "a forest of boys". The idea received no enthusiasm from the cast and instead, he was ripped to shreds until he was close to tears. When he snapped back, his castmates broke him down until he was spilling Miss Jenn's secret and everyone was screaming at him as so many had before. Because he wasn't good enough, he couldn't do anything right, and he wasn't worthy of their respect. When the cast was done criticizing him for his inability to do his job, Carlos was left in the bomb-shelter alone. He fell onto the piano bench, the one his…Seb was on only moments ago, and he cried. He cried until his eyes were raw and his throat was sore because he messed up Miss Jenn's orders, he offended the girls, everyone hated him. 

Later that night, to Carlos' relief, he was able to connect with them again. He apologized to everyone about the forest of boys and not telling them about Miss Jenn, and thankfully, they allowed him to come back. He choreographed a number for them to perform at the hearing and they all loved it. He received praise and enthusiasm and even though there was a chance he would lose it all tomorrow, he was happy. They even gave him a line to sing in the song Ashlyn and Nini worked on. After saving Miss Jenn, the drama teacher pulled Carlos into a hug and he swore everything was going to be okay. He had friends in a group that accepted him, a teacher who believed in him and a…Seb who liked him enough to be seen outside of the bomb shelter with him. And this time, Carlos was determined not to mess it up. 

-

When the East High theater burned down and the group needed another venue, Carlos suggested they use the El Rey. At the time he thought it was a good idea and the cast seemed to agree, not that any of them thanked him for getting it booked. However, Miss Jenn seemed off and was gave him the cold shoulder the entire rehearsal, and when she ordered him to take a long five he couldn't help but feel like he'd done something wrong. Because Miss Jenn clearly wasn't happy about his theater decision, she seemed less happy now then she did when they were at East High, E.J was having an emotional breakdown, and his boyfriend was having some sort of crisis with Kourtney and all of it was Carlos' fault. Regardless of E.J telling him stepping up was admirable Carlos didn’t believe it. How could he, when every time he tried to step up the cast was ignoring him or Miss Jenn was demanding he do something _more._ Because nothing he ever did was _enough._ When he tried to be the dedicated choreographer who had bold ideas he was shut down but if he wasn't doing enough Miss Jenn got mad at him. Sitting on the floor against the popcorn machine: stale popcorn being thrown into his mouth, eyes closed, and tears threatening to fall once again was when Carlos decided he was going to lay low and try to be a middle ground. He wasn't going to be a threat to his friends but he wasn't going to be a slacker for Miss Jenn. If he wanted to keep this group and his job, he had to be _perfect._

-

Carlos got an email from Miss Jenn at the end of the winter break informing him about the Spring Musical and he knew his plan to be perfect was working. The theatre kids had invited him to almost every social event over the break and Miss Jenn wanted him back as the choreographer - everything was going right.

Until rehearsals started again, because Carlos realized that the theatre kids only liked him when he was one of them. They didn't like him when he was their underclassman choreographer who had the imaginary power to order them around. He should have that power, especially when it came to practicing numbers and timing, but in reality, his power was nonexistent. And Miss Jenn only liked him when he was hanging on her every word; he had little to no input on anything besides the choreography and she often treated him like either a child or a professional getting paid for his work, there was never an in-between.

So when Miss Jenn had previously told him she wouldn't be there during rehearsal and needed him to run through the Gaston choreography, including a new idea he pitched, Carlos was nervous. Miss Jenn was once again putting her show on his shoulders, but he hoped that in Miss Jenn's absence, the cast would be forced to listen to him since he was the only one who knew the steps. Besides, this time his idea didn't have any anti-feminist connotations - nothing the girls could get upset about - so despite his anxiety Carlos put on a professional smile and entered the bomb shelter. It started off well - the cast greeted him when he walked into the room and Seb gave him a quick peck on the cheek that made him blush a vibrant red. However, everything went out the window when he announced Miss Jenn's absence for the day. He gave the instruction to get in the Gaston starting positions but everyone was frozen in place. Carlos, with the track records he's had so far, should have expected the reactions of silence but he was still nervous. The cast just stared at him and gave each other knowing looks, not that Carlos knew what the look was but everyone else seemed to. The tensions could be cut with a knife and the only sound that could be heard was the chatter of the students outside leaving for the day. Carlos stood uncomfortably in the middle of the bomb shelter, waiting for someone to say something before realizing that, as the one in charge, he should be the one to say something.

"Okay guys, so again, since Miss Jenn isn't gonna be here today, she wanted me to run through the Gaston choreography with you." He said it slowly, but once again he got no responses. He looked to the piano where Seb was sitting for support but his boyfriend only provided a confused shrug. "Any questions?" He asked, practically begging for someone to respond to him.

"I have one: why isn't Miss Jenn here today?" Gina said. She stared at him with raised brows and a frown and Carlos was confused. She didn't say it like she was just wondering, she said it like she was accusing Carlos of something but the sophomore couldn't think of what. He raised an eyebrow back and looked around the room to find someone else who was confused, but the only other person he saw was Seb. Everyone else was giving him the same questioning expression and Carlos couldn't help but shrink under their harsh gazes.

"Um, she's taking a personal day? She didn't tell me what it was for though." Carlos said softly, his voice barely reaching the back of the group but his response was wrong apparently because everyone started to get worked up.

"No offense Carlos, but the last time you said that she almost got fired." E.J was the next one to speak up and every word he said was like a punch to the gut. And once he was done, everyone in the room was yelling, bringing Carlos' mind back to the bomb shelter months ago where he was silenced, ignored, and criticized for following the unfair directions Miss Jenn had given him. Carlos didn't notice Seb's expression turn cold but instead he took a deep breath and chose his next words very carefully.

"She's not getting fired, and nothing is wrong as far as I know. Now can you guys please just line up?" Carlos asked softly but if anyone was listening closely enough he was _begging. Begging_ for them to listen to him just this once so that he could prove to Miss Jenn that he could do this. _Begging_ for them to see his new idea so that maybe, his friends would come to respect him more. Thankfully, the group agreed and got in formation, Ricky and some nameless freshman in the center with the rest of the cast surrounding them. Everyone was still talking quietly amongst themselves which sparked frustration in Carlos' core but he pushed his feelings down. He couldn't lose his temper. Because if he lost his tempter, they would look down on him more than they already did. And if they lost any more respect for him he may lose their friendship, but if he didn't try Miss Jenn would fire him. He felt the anxiety build up in his chest as he opened up his choreographer's binder, finger tapping quickly against the plastic cover against his will.

That's what got Seb's attention.

Since homecoming, Seb had picked up on small habits Carlos had: how his different hairstyles reflected his mental state, the way his eyes shown bright when he was watching his own choreography being performed in front of him, but also the way Carlos shrunk in on himself and tapped his finger when he was nervous or unsure of himself. So of course, Seb had sensed his boyfriend's unease from the second he walked into the bomb shelter. He looked pale, his hair was styled down like is was at the El Rey, and his finger was twitching from underneath his sweater. With each question that was thrown his way, Carlos seemed to get smaller and his finger seemed to move quicker and more frequently. And Seb couldn't help the anger bubbling in his stomach. Because here was Carlos, the 15-year-old student choreographer and assistant director, a confident but insecure teenager who's had the weight of the world put on his shoulder, but without a soul to support him. Seb so many times had wanted to scream at his friends for how badly they treated Carlos. He wanted to jump in on conversations where the cast bashed on the forest of boys, an idea that his boyfriend had been very proud of. He wanted to call out Miss Jenn on the amount of pressure he put on the younger boy and show her how bad it was affecting his health. But, he didn't want to overstep. Carlos was very independent and he didn't want to make him feel small or think Seb saw him as a damsel-in-distress. So he kept his mouth shut because Carlos had never brought up the problem so Seb shouldn't either.

"So I wanted to try something new-" Carlos started but was quickly cut off by Ashlyn, to everyone's surprise. She didn’t look mad but her eyes showed hesitance and worry, and Carlos' stomach dropped at the sight.

"Carlos, with all due respect," Seb almost laughed, even if nothing was funny. "This is all sounding very similar to the forest of boys incident." No one noticed except Seb, but the tapping got involuntarily quicker and louder, and beads of sweat were starting to form underneath Carlos' gel-less hair. Seb hands formed fists and his eyes narrowed in Ashlyn's direction, but the criticism didn't stop there.

"Maybe we should just wait for Miss Jenn," Nini said, which once again started a chain-reaction of chatter from the rest of the cast. Carlos' arms immediately wrapped around his stomach and his breathing was indescribably quick. The voices seemed to get louder and louder and every insult was directed his way. Why did he even try? No matter what he did or how badly he wanted it, he would never do anything right. Because he, Carlos Rodriguez, was a failure.

Seb knew his previous thinking would expire one day, and while he wasn't sure that what he was about to do was right, he knew that he needed to do it.

"Enough!" Seb shouted, uncanny to the power he gave in Sharpay's first line in "Stick to the Status Quo" all those months ago. The room went silent, the only sound that could be heard was the deep breaths of Carlos who was practically hidden behind the rest of the group. "It's bad enough that Miss Jenn just abandons ship whenever she feels like it and leaves Carlos to make everything perfect-"

"Seb." Seb made eye contact with his boyfriend, who had unraveled his arms and began moving closer to the blonde. He still looked small and his eyes were wide with fear. "You don't have to do this." Seb heard the desperation in Carlos' voice, he knew he had to keep going.

"Yes, I do. Miss Jenn puts enough crap on his shoulders. The least you guys could do is listen to him. Because I don't care if you hate his ideas and I don't care if he's a sophomore or a senior. Carlos is your choreographer and your assistant director, and you all are the worst castmates a creative team could ask for. Carlos is in charge, so I suggest you shut up, get in formation, and listen to what he has to say." Seb looked around the room at his shocked castmates' expressions but was cut off at the sob he heard next to him. Seb turned to his left to see Carlos now standing next to him, and his heart broke at the sight. Carlos was shaking profusely, his finger was tapping against his upper-arm, his eyes were squeezed shut, and his head was tilted towards the ground. The hand that wasn't gripping his arm was covering his mouth, covering the cries escaping his throat. All eyes went to the choreographer but no one but Seb made a move to comfort him.

Carlos could imagine he looked like a mess; his anxiety was spiked at a new high and he couldn't breathe. He loved Seb for sticking up for him, but all he could hear now was the disappointed critiques from Miss Jenn and who he assumed were now his ex-friends. Because everything that he worked so hard towards, was gone. He was _crying,_ and now they would never respect him and Miss Jenn was going to fire him and-

Through his cloudy thoughts, he didn’t see Seb moving towards him so when a hand grabbed his own, the one covering his trembling lips, he jumped. Despite his blurry vision, Carlos could make out Seb's concerned gaze but he couldn't bring himself to find comfort in his boyfriend's presence. All he could focus on were the stares from the rest of the cast and the endless sob's that threatened to spill now that the hand blocking them was in Seb's own. He just needed to get out.

"Seb I-" his voices cracked and he externally grimaced but he choked out his plea because he was desperate. "I can't be here." Instantly Seb was tugging him towards the door.

"Okay love, let's go I've got you," Seb whispered in his ear so only Carlos could hear, and the younger boy was grateful. The whispers of the blonde soothed his anxiety and by the time they exited the bomb-shelter, Carlos was able to breathe slightly. But despite his cries slowing, Seb could still feel shaking where Carlos was pressed against his side so he slowly lowered his boyfriend to the floor. They sat side by side while Seb rubbed Carlos' back and whispered reassurances into his hair until the shaking seceded.

"You okay?" Seb said quietly, knowing the answer but wanting to give Carlos a chance to talk.

"…Yeah…no? I don’t know I-" Carlos felt the emotion creep back into his voice so he stopped talking, and thankfully Seb caught on.

"Hey it's okay, no pressure take your time," Seb said as he ran a hand through the brunette's hair, hoping to calm him down enough so he could explain to his boyfriend that everything was okay. Because looking down at Carlos, that's all he wanted to do. The sweet, dedicated, confident boy he knew and…loved, Seb smiled at the thought, didn't deserve the treatment he got inside or outside the drama department, but especially inside. Seb didn't know much about Carlos' past but he knew how much theatre and dance meant to him, so that rehearsal space should have been a safe space for him. Seb needed to know why Carlos let everyone disrespect him. "But Los I just need to understand why you let them walk all over you. Because you _shouldn't._ You're the one in charge, not them-"

"Because I-" Carlos whispered. He lifted his head from Seb's shoulders and looked into his boyfriend encouraging and kind blue eyes and somehow, he found the strength to let out the years of insecurities that had been destroying him from the inside out. "I thought that if I laid low and made everyone happy, then I could keep all of this. I've never had friends before or a teacher who didn't see me as a punchline or a _boyfriend._ And I never thought I would. Well, that's not true I did think I would but I was a naïve five-year-old who thought dance would fix all his problems. And I tried Seb, I tried to forget about all of this and accept that despite my efforts, I would never be accepted. But then I was handed this life and now…I can't let it go. I can't because I've wanted it for so long, so if I keep doing what everyone says then people may finally think I'm worthy of being respected or liked." Carlos sniffed and Seb watched his head sink back into his own shoulder. "I just wanted to be perfect," Carlos whispered and Seb's grip tightened around Carlos as he felt his heart shatter. Because the boy laying in his lap was not the confident, sassy Carlos Rodriguez Seb knew and loved. This was another side of his boyfriend that Carlos had been hiding. Seb hated himself for not noticing sooner but he was being given a chance to fix it, so he chose his next words wisely.

"Carlos, you have nothing to prove to anyone. You are the most talented person I've ever met and everyone in there should be lucky to have you. They're wrong, not you. They don’t respect you for the position Miss Jenn gave you and Miss Jenn expects too much. You are trying your best and you are doing more then I bet most unpaid student choreographers do: you have made this drama department broadway worthy. And I'm sorry that no one appreciates that because if you weren't here we'd be lost. But Los you have to understand that Nini, Ricky, everyone in there are horrible friends to you. Friends respect each other and don’t put each other down. And I'm sorry but that's what they do to you. And Miss Jenn, her leaving her fifteen-year-old in charge of a show while she has emotional breakdowns is unfair. You have a group Carlos, but it should be better. You shouldn't settle because the idiots of your past didn’t want you, because whether the cast likes it or not, this is _your_ show. _You_ make _them_ look good, and you do that with your talent and your passion. And speaking for myself, I think you are perfect, and I accept you for all that for you are. Which means that, from now on, I'm always going to stand up for you when you're being treated badly. Because you deserve better than what you're getting and if nothing else, _I_ am your group." For the first time since he entered the bomb shelter, Carlos breathed. He sunk into his boyfriend's side and all his insecurities faded away. Because despite everything else, Seb was here. Seb was the group and the dance partner Carlos had waited ten years for.

What neither boy knew, was that the rest of the cast and the newly-arrived Miss Jenn were huddled around the entrance of the bomb shelter, listening to Carlos and Seb talk about them. They all exchanged guilty glances, and each one of them knew what had to be done.

-

Seb and Carlos walked into the bomb-shelter hand in hand the next day feeling much more relaxed after being dismissed from rehearsal the day before. Carlos wasn’t sure what he expected from that rehearsal, but what he didn't expect was Miss Jenn putting everyone in the Gaston formation before he even arrived. Carlos' confusion stopped his advancements and when his bright yellow converse squeaked against the floor, the entire cast turned towards him.

"Carlos! Right on time! I was just getting everyone ready for your demonstration today. Seb, get in line and Carlos you can get started whenever you're ready hun. I'll be right here if you need anything." Miss Jenn gripped his shoulder tightly before walking to her chair and he was left with a smiling cast. Carlos was taken back because she hadn't spoken to him that softly since the first day when he was in her office, but Carlos smiled, grabbed his choreographers binder, and moved to stand in front of the group. Looking around he was nervous, but Seb's words from yesterday gave him the strength to do his job and share his vision. This was his chance to fix everything because he waited ten years for this group. He knew it wasn’t perfect but it was up to him to get it close, and this wasn't a shot he was gonna miss.

Carlos went through the song and by the end, the cast seemed just as excited as him. He got no weary stares or eye rolls, only what seemed like genuine smiles. Miss Jenn, after congratulating Carlos and telling him how proud she was, dismissed the group for the day. As Carlos was packing up his stuff, he felt a presence behind him and turned around to see the entire cast of _Beauty and the Beast_ gathered around his duffle bag. They looked guilty, and Carlos wanted to shrink under their gazes but he stood tall when he caught Seb's encouraging eye off to the side.

"Dude, we just wanted to apologize for the way we acted yesterday." Ricky started.

"The way we've been acting this entire time. We had to right to treat you that way and we're all so sorry." Kourtney continued, wringing her hands together in front of her and looking down at the floor.

"You're our choreographer and we should have respected you more. You have good ideas, Carlos, and we're really sorry for sounding ungrateful." Ashlyn said next.

"But more than that, you are our friend, Carlos, and you're apart of this group. We're so sorry." Nini smiled, taking a step closer in his direction.

_Group._

Carlos wasn't stupid - he could tell everyone had heard his and Seb's conversation from the day before. A breakdown that Miss Jenn wasn't even present for wasn't enough to change their attitudes to suddenly, but Carlos couldn't help the wide smile that overtook his features and the excitement that pooled in his stomach at the word. _Group._ Despite Seb saying the theatre kids were his group, Carlos was on cloud-nine hearing it from the group themselves. They were starting to accept him.

"Lunch anyone? Carlos?" Big Red asked, getting nothing but positive responses from the entire group. Carlos could only nod his head in agreement, afraid that any words spoken would lead to more tears. The group dispersed after promising to meet at Nini, Kourtney, Ricky, and Big Red's usual table, all except for Seb and Carlos who remained silently smiling in the rehearsal room. Without saying a word, Seb walked over to Carlos and embraced him tightly.

"Told you, dork. They love you and they accept you. And Miss Jenn is proud of you. I'm proud of you. And…and I love you." Seb whispered, making Carlos laugh for the first time in what felt like forever but freeze when Seb's last words registered in his brain. He pulled out of the hug slightly, looking Seb dead in the eye and searching for a teasing glint but only seeing the same awe from the year before. He smile widened and he melted into Seb and breathed in, allowing the thrill and excitement to overtake his mind. 

"I love you too Seb," Carlos whispered. He felt at home. The drama department was his home. Miss Jenn, for all her support, was his home. The cast, despite their many flaws and the drama that followed them wherever they went, was his home. And Seb - Carlos sighed in content at the thought of the blonde who had given him everything he'd ever wanted - Seb Matthew-Smith was his home. Carlos laughed softly.

"Thank you, Seb, for everything," Carlos whispered into Seb's shoulder, causing Seb to tighten his group around Carlos' waist. 

"You deserve it all Los," Seb whispered back, giving Carlos a small peck on the cheek while swaying him slowly back and forth in the empty rehearsal room. 

Carlos Rodriguez knew from the moment he danced with Seb at homecoming that he would be the one to save him. Now, Seb had given him a teacher that was pleased with him, a group that respected him, and a boyfriend that loved him.

Carlos Rodriguez was finally accepted.

**Author's Note:**

> this is an idea I have been very excited about since bri and I talked about it, so I'm grateful I finally got to write something. I've missed writing on here and I really, really, really hope you guys enjoyed it :) xx


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